Elemental Triad
(written 33 days ago) 79 no comments
I love how modern life, folklore, and fairy tales can intertwine and create new characters, races, and ideas. I still think that Brandon Mull is one of the best at doing this. I am currently reading, ok, alright, listening to the Dragon Watch series again. I am going to discuss one of those new characters that he introduces. It has made me think and has given me an idea for areal-life application to one of his characters.
Warning
Spoiler Alert: The following section reveals key plot details from Master of the Phantom Isle.
In the Master of the Phantom Isle, one of the dragon sanctuaries loses its protection (Crescent Lagoon). In the process of it losing its protection, a guardian is created, a being named Mombuta. Mombuta is huge, probably six meters tall, and shaped like a humanoid. He has a triangle of eyes, giving him the look of a triclops. He is agile and forceful. He does have a weakness; he focuses on moving objects. If you remain stationary and low to the ground, you become almost invisible to him.
When the triclops is out of the unprotected area, and returns to a safe area, he then turns back into three smaller Himalayan cyclops. Mombuta turns into Tregain, Heath, and Lockland. These three cyclops don't actually have any eyes, but they have what many people would call a third eye. They don't physically see, but they sense their surroundings, including the future.
I really like this concept. I like the concept of a guardian that is created when protections fall, but that it is then restored to its original form when the protections are again restored. What are three things that you would put together to create a guardian, and what would you call it?
Personally, my Mombuta would be the guardian or protector of Truth. Truth is one of those things that I feel are needed, and should, at times, be wielded like a sword. And when the sanctuary of Truth breaks down, I find myself at times turning into a Mombuta like creature to protect it.
But what creates the guardian of truth? What are the three smaller entities that, when put together, can create the powerful guardian that protects truth? You can come up with your own, but in my mind the three parts that need to come together to become Mombuta, the protector of Truth, would be Clarity, Courage, and Integrity.
So what protects the sanctuary? What protects Truth?
Clarity
Clarity, the ability to see things as they are. Clarity allows you to notice distortion, identify deception, reveal hidden motives, and lessen the noise.
Courage
Courage, the ability and willingness to face what clarity reveals. Courage allows you to confront danger, endure discomfort, speak when not speaking is easier, and press forward when retreat is easier.
Integrity
Integrity, the ability to live according to what clarity reveals, and courage faces. Integrity allows you to align your actions with principle, refuse hypocrisy, hold the line of clarity, and stay consistent when unseen by others.
When you combine all three, you create a guardian of Truth. Something is created that has the ability to see clearly, act bravely, and stand constantly. That person then becomes a guardian, or sentinel of truth, someone who can cut through deception, withstand pressure, refuse to bend, and protect what is real. Protect the Truth!
The Guardian of Truth is not born from a single virtue but a fusion of virtues. The towering guardian formed only when Clarity could instruct Courage to step forward while Integrity holds the line. Alone, each trait is fragile. Together, they rise into something immense, a sentinel that cannot be bribed, frightened, or confused. By taking all three and fusing them together, you create an entity that is singular, purposeful, and immense but is only present if all three traits exist. An entity that can protect the sanctuary of Truth when its protection is down or is under attack.
Bibliography
Mull, Brandon. Master of the Phantom Isle. New York: Shadow Mountain, 2019.
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